The present invention relates to a new and improved automatically controlled apparatus for continuously cleaning the periphery of an elongated workpiece as the workpiece moves through the apparatus. Although it is contemplated that the apparatus may be utilized to clean many different types of workpieces using many different types of cleaning media, the apparatus is particularly useful in removing residual scale, red rust and secondary scale by brushing a hot-rolled steel rod prior to movement of the rod through a wire drawing die.
A known apparatus for use in cleaning scale from metal rods is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,117,651. This apparatus includes a pair of brushes which are rotated about axes which extend parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the rod. While the brushes are being rotated about axes which extend parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the rod, the brushes are rotated around the rod. The known apparatus has no way to compensate for brush wear during a brushing operation.
Another known rod brushing apparatus includes a plurality of brushes which rotate about axes which are skewed at acute angles relative to the longitudinal central axis of the rod. Gauges indicative of brush wear are associated with the brushes. When an operator of the apparatus checks the gauges and notices that one or more of the brushes has become worn, the operator manually moves the brushes relative to the rod to compensate for the wear. However, if the operator is busy with other duties, a considerable length of the rod may move past the worn brushes before the operator realizes that the brushes have become worn.